In an effort to speed along the cannabis industry licensing process, the Cannabis Control Division of the state Regulation and Licensing Department is now accepting applications for all cannabis-related businesses, including manufacturing and retail operations.

Applications for all types of licenses can be submitted online. However, licenses for certain sectors of the industry will not be issued until the rules for that sector have been finalized.

While rules for cannabis producers have been finalized, those for manufacturers, retailers and other businesses are set to be complete Jan. 1.

“As part of the CCD’s mission to stand up a thriving adult-use cannabis industry in New Mexico, we are expanding a user-friendly online platform to allow applicants to start the licensing process now for more business types so that they can be prepared as more rules are being quickly finalized,” said Linda Trujillo, superintendent of the Regulation and Licensing Department, in a news release issued Tuesday.

Under the Cannabis Regulation Act, which the Legislature passed earlier this year and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law, adult-use cannabis sales are set to start in New Mexico by April 1.